Green is green, and blue is blue.
Except sometimes blue is really green. Confused?
Blue is often described as a cool color. But sometimes blue is really hot.
Here's how.
It's call bluewood. Or more appropriately bluwood. And it's taking the building industry by storm.
It's really hot right now. And it's green. But it's actually blue.
The blue color comes from a non-toxic coating (so it's green) that prevents mold, keeps away those nasty termites that plague Southern California homes, and protects against wood rot and fire. Bluwood has been around since 2003 and arrived on the west coast 3 years ago.
And the cool thing (oh, I guess I mean the hot thing) is one company that distributes bluwood, SC Bluwood, Inc, is headquartered here in Carlsbad right up the street from where I live. Billing themselves as "bluwood, the new green" (their quote), the wood, despite being chemically treated, IS non-toxic and can even be used as mulch if ground up.
While it is not inexpensive (about $1.50 more per SF than regular lumber) the wood is being used increasingly, despite the cost over standard lumber. Buyers, and builders, are seeing the added value. And it's Green Spec listed, too!
You pay about $2.00 more per SF for fire inhibitor bluwood, which would seem to be a wise investment due to our troubles with California forest fires from time to time.
Check out their website, SCBluwood (I believe the SC stands for the company President and CEO, Steve Conboy). They were also featured in the Green Issue of Carlsbad magazine recently.
The photos are of a house being built in the Del Mar Beach Colony in Del Mar, 1 block from the ocean, priced from $6.650 million to $6.850 million. The cost here is the size, location by the ocean, and the community, NOT the bluwood. There are several home in Carlsbad being built as well, among others in the area I'm sure.
Q and A by the manufacturer, Wood Smart Solutions, Inc.
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If I can provide more information about Solana Beach, Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
All content copyright © 2008 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits
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Jeff, Is this BluWood, I mean green wood, available on the east coast? Thanks for the link. Will check it out.
Sounds perfect for termite control and green building. I remember a treated lumber, FRT.(fire retardant plywood) It would not catch fire but it did disentegrate....not good for the roofing material that it was used for.